Hittite Empire

The Hittite Empire (1700 BC-1200 BC) was an Anatolian civilization that reigned for five hundred years during the Late Bronze Age. The Hittites were known for their large armies and their metallurgy, but they were later conquered by the Sea Peoples.

History
The Hittites emerged in Anatolia, emerging as the foremost power in Anatolia from 1700 to 1200 BC. From their capital at [{Hattusha]], near present-day Ankara in central Turkey, they deployed the fearsome new technology of horse-drawn war chariots. The Hittites exploited Anatolia's rich metal deposits to play a key role in international commerce. They first developed a technique for making tools and weapons of iron. They heated the ore until it was soft enough to shape, and they would plunge it into cold water for it to harden after pounding it to remove impurities. The Hittite Empire's large armies fought New Kingdom Egypt at the Battle of Kadesh in 1275 BC, which forced Hattusili and Ramesses II to negotiate the first recorded peace treaty in history. In 1200 BC, the kingdom disintegrated after the Sea Peoples invaded their lands, and their blacksmiths migrated and spread iron technology, while Neo-Hittites also took power.